There’s nothing like an ice cold beer on a hot summer day! No meal is really complete without the right beer pairing to go with your SunGold lamb recipe.
Want to know the secret? Finding the right beer pairing is all about balancing flavours. You want both your lamb and beer to stand out, so the key is to avoid matching flavours that are too similar.
We get it – the beer industry has really exploded over the last few years. It’s hard to choose when there’s so much to choose from! Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you and paired the perfect brews to your favourite SunGold recipes.
Ready to get started? Hit the guide below!
Belgian-Style Blonde Ale
Belgian-style Blonde Ale complements pasta dishes well. The fruity, slightly spicy flavour profile and high-carbonation provide an almost citrusy zap that sits perfectly with pasta dishes.
Dish suggestion: Rapini and Garlic Penne with Lamb Sausage
Our light and tasty Rapini and Garlic Penne with Lamb Sausage can be seriously elevated by the zesty profile of a Belgian Blonde. This beer is the ideal partner to the dish’s combination of mild Italian lamb sausage, garlicky goodness and parmesan cheese! Plus, a Belgian Blonde never hurts while you’re cooking, either!
Beer Suggestion: New Limburg’s Belgian Blonde
Our beer suggestion is New Limburg’s Belgian Blonde. Why? They’re a microbrewery out of Simcoe Ontario that specializes in Belgian-style beers. Who’s a better choice than the Belgian beer experts themselves?
Dark Lager
Dark lagers are dark in colour and rich in flavour. The roasted malt results in a flavour that is neither hoppy nor bitter, but is often described as chocolatey. Dark lagers are rich, but not to the point of overpowering – which makes them a nice compliment to red meat.
Dish suggestion: Slow Cooker Lamb Goulash
This dish (and beer) is for those cool and stormy summer nights! Classic Goulash is not complete without a dark beer next to it. Our Slow Cooker Lamb Goulash combines lamb shoulder, fresh vegetables, and smoky spices that will leave you wanting more! The best part? Throw everything in your slow cooker and leave those flavors to build all day long!
Beer suggestion: Fahr’s ‘Munich’
In following the German Goulash theme, it’s only appropriate to recommend a popular Canadian-German beer. Brewed out of Alberta (but authentically German nonetheless), Fahr’s ‘Munich’ contains notes of chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit that will complement your lamb dish perfectly.
Porters
There are many different types of Porters, but they all have a few things in common: Dark, rich, and slightly (delicious!) bitter flavours. The notes of this beer can contain hints of licorice, caramel, toffee, chocolate, or coffee. These brews are often described as ‘smokey’ or ‘roasted.” Porters are often dark red or black in colour.
Dish suggestion: Charmoula Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lamb Merguez
Porters do well paired with grilled or smoked sausages, and are nicely balanced with gently sweet flavours. That’s why we chose our Charmoula Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lamb Merguez as the ideal porter companion. The flavours of sweet potatoes and grilled lamb sausage are rounded out scrumptiously by the smokey, dark profile of a porter.
Beer suggestion: Medicine Hat Brewing Company’s Brick and Mortar Porter
Medicine Hat Brewing Company’s Brick and Mortar Porter exists somewhere between an English-style, and a robust porter. It’s smooth, sweet, and has little hints of chocolate, coffee, and caramel.
Indian Pale Ale
If you’re someone who loves hot food, pair a spicy dish with an Indian Pale Ale! It’ll really add something extra to the spice. The bitter hops of IPAs will add an extra delicious kick to any spicy dish you make.
*Fans of milder flavours, you might pair this dish with a light lager to offset the spice.*
Dish suggestion: Spicy Grilled Merguez and Red Onion Pizza
A few parts smoky, a few parts spicy, this do-it-yourself pizza is a great option to share with family and friends over a couple of IPAs. This recipe calls for our Lamb Tonight Merguez Lamb Sausages, which are pre-seasoned, gluten free and super convenient!
PRO TIP: Grilling this pizza adds a nice smoky flavour and chars the crust for a crisp and tasty finish.
Beer Suggestion: Legend 7 Brewing’s ‘Temptation’
Source: https://www.colehofstra.com/calgary-beer-photography/
Our IPA of the day is Legend 7 Brewings ‘Temptation.” In addition to coming in a really cool looking bottle, it’s got some delicious flavour profiles. It can be described as floral and piney with a ‘well-balanced’ bitterness.
If you’d like to learn more about drink and lamb pairings, check out our Ultimate Lamb and Wine Pairing Guide, as well as some of our Favourite Drinks Paired With Your Favourite Lamb.